EA Canada's community manager tweeted last night that "execs at EA SPORTS will announce a new game sometime in January. I wonder what it'll be?" Yeah, I wonder, too. Let's wonder together.

Some candidates, in decreasing order of likelihood:

• FIFA World Cup 10. Although, this is really no surprise, nor is it really a "new game." Technically it fits the definition.

• A downloadable title. Madden NFL Arcade has sold well, but unless this is an NBA Arcade or a sequel to the NHL 3-on-3 title (which stretches the language of this tease), there isn't much that's in season. It's also hardly the kind of thing that warrants an executive announcement as opposed to a statement.

• Grand Slam Tennis on the 360 and/or PS3. It was delayed from this autumn and these console versions are thought to be tied to Natal/PlayStation Motion Control, due in the coming year. But it would be very irregular for a title like this to put a date on a new technology before the maker of that technology does. It could also be a non-motion control version.

• As the astute Pasta Padre reasons, a WWE title. Pasta points out the license between the wrestling enterprise and THQ has until Dec. 31 to be renewed. "It is possible THQ informed WWE they did not intend to continue the license at which point EA could have jumped in and made an offer," says Pasta.

• Something entirely new, but it's tough to imagine EA Sports opening a new license after what Tiburon has just gone through, and the indication they'll focus on their existing franchises.

Early this morning we broke the news that Electronic Arts planned to close down Pandemic Studios,…
Read more Read more

• Or, the hardway four on this crapshoot, the return of MVP Baseball. 2K Sports still has the exclusive Major League Baseball license into 2012, but given Take Two Interactive's pointed remarks last week, they would probably love to get that millstone off their necks. MLB 2K10 announced its cover athlete, so we're not talking about this year. But the tweet only said an announcement of a new game, not the time when it is released.
EA Sports Announcing New Game in January [Pasta Padre]